Grip-chain for tires.



W. J. B-OYER. GRIP CHA| N FOB TlRESi APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. I915.

Patented J an. 22, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- W. J. BOYER.

GRIP CHAIN FOR TlRES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. I915.

Patented Jan. 22,1918 v 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W. J. BOYER.

GRIP CHAIN FOR TIRES. APPLICATION FILED Aue.24. 1915.

1,254,023. Patented Jan. 22,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WILLIA'IM- J. BOYER, 0F CHICAG O, ILLINOIS.

ears-CHAIN ron TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

Application filed August 24, 1915. Serial No. 47,185.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BoYER, in the county of Cook, in the' of Chicago, State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grip-Chains for Tires, of which the following, taken in conspinning around, as is often the case when other devices are used. My improvements may also be used to great advantage on the front wheels wherever the streets are very slippery and covered with ice or snow.

The object of my present invention is to provide a sectional and flexible grip or tread composed of chains, springs, connecting rings and fastenings, all linked together and applied to the peripheryof the tire and sides of the wheel telly or to the rim, as the case may require, and held tightly to the tire by the means of the springs.

These grip chains or treads are adapted to be applied either to the driving wheels of an automobile, or both, as conditions may require, and one of the important objects is to enable anyone to easily and almost instantly apply the several sections composing these grip chains or treads by merely hooking the ends of the springs into the screw eyes or other fastenings, at the sides of the wheels toward the vehicle, and then stretching the chains over the tire toward the side of the wheel away from the vehicle and fastening the hooks at the other ends of the springs to the screw eyes or other fastenings on the side of the wheel away from the Vehicle.

Another object in constructing these grip chains or treads in sectional form is to provide'a means for their application without the necessity of jacking up the car, and at the same time automatically. take up the slack and permit the grip chains to hug the tire tightly, thereby preventing all the rattling noise, as is caused when other grips or chains are used.

Other objects and uses will appear in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear view showing a pair of driving wheels with pneumatic tires mounted on a driving axle, and my improved sectional grip chains or treads applled thereto and in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing an automobile wheel with wooden spokes and felly with a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim of the wheel, this figure showing the grip chains applied to the periphery of the tire after the several sections. have been connected and linked together;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the upper portion of the wheel as shown in Fig. 2, showing a modification of my sectional grip chain;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ot the socket with screw eye inserted;

Fig. 5 is plan of a detached grip chain section, showing the central portion of same vith the connecting ring in its proper positron, the ends of thesection being broken away or omitted;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a wire wheel with a steel rim upon which is mounted a pneu matic tire, showing my sectional grip chains applied tothe periphery of the tire and. connected to the sockets and screw eyes which are attached to the rim of the wheel;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of a tire mounted on a wire wheel with a steel rim, showing the I application of the socket and screw eyes.

with the springs and a portion of the chains attached; Fig. 8 is a side view of the upper portion of a wire wheel with pneumatic tire, showing grip chains applied in another manner, and used to cover a blowout hole when required for such purpose;

Fig. 9' is a side view of an automobile wheel with wooden spokes andfelly, with a detachable rim, with a pneumatic tire mounted on same, showing my sectional grip chains in their preferred construction applied to the periphery of the tire, and connected to the telly through the means of the tire bolts;

. wedge;

tire mounted on a demountable rim, as

shown in Fig. 9, showing the means of ap plying the screw eyes to the rim bolt;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the same parts as shown in Fig. 11, showin a modified method of fastening the en s of the sectionalgrip chains to the rim, bolt-and Fig. 13is a perspective -view of the clip or fastening member, used on the inside of thei rim bolt, for fastening the grip chains; an

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the clip or fastenin mem'ber used on the outside of the rim bol t and wedge, to which the grip chains are fastened.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

,chain encircled by the ring standing up.

grip chains.

To further demonstrate the practicability ofmy invention, I have shown a rear axle 1, upon which are mounted a pair of wheels 2,

wlth pneumatic tires 3, and upon these tires are placed 'my improved sectional grip chains consisting of chains 4, springs 5 and rings 6 These sectional chains are made up'bywtaking two pieces of chains 4, and connecting them byplacing one or more rings 6 through the links of each chain near the center, this arrangement forming a kind of an anti-skidding tread or shoe in the center of the chain, with the links of the edgewise providing a better ripping sur-' face against side skidding thai if the links were flat. At the four ends ofthese chains 4 are attached the springs 5, which are used to attach the-sectional .grip chains to the screw eyes 8 carried by the sockets 7, as

applied to the felly or rim of the wheel. Each section ofthese grip chains is applied separately by first attaching twoof the spring ends to the screw eyes 8 on the back of the wheel, then stretching the grip chains toward the front of the wheel and'fastening the other two ends to. the screw eyes 8, on

the front of the wheel, continuing this process until the several sections are applied.

This isvery easily and quickly done, as the springs permit the hooks-at their ends tosnap into the screw eyesiinstantly, and they are tightly held in position on the tire, pre venting all the rattling noise, as inother In order to accommodate the different sizes of tires, it is only necessary -to,increase or decrease the length of the springs or chains, as may be required.

* In applying my grip chains, it is not necessary to deflate the tire, but. merely place the chains around thetire in its inflated or natural condition, attaching the hooks at the ends of the grip chains to the screw eyes, and pull the grip chains over the tread of the tire, which causes the sockets and screw eyes form a connecting link for the several chain sections, which, however, are anchored and prevent the grip chains from moving longitudlnally or laterally, but permit a slight rolling movement of that part of the chains, from their con n-ection to the rings 6 tothe eye in the end of the spring 5. When an automobile equipped with my grip chains is in motion, the sprin s 5 will automatically take up the slack in'tdle chains caused by the weight of the automobile compressing the air in the tires the grip chains are therefore always held tightly in position on the tire.

It will be seen that while these grip chainsare applied in sections to the sockets and screw eyes, that the several sections can easily be disconnected from their fastenings to the screwveyes, and attached directly to each other, as in Fig. 3, and still have an effective flexible chain.

When it is necessary to apply these grip chains to a wire wheel, Thaw-provided a different kind of socket 7, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which may be made in the form of a special casting or a steel plate bolted to the rim, as shown in Fig. 7.

There is another kind of wheel in use, called the demou'ntable rim wheel, which has a varying number of bolts 9, nuts 10,

' bolts as supports for the screw eyes by simf plydr illing a hole in each end of the bolt,

and threading it'as shown in Fig. 11. I

have also provided another kind of fastening, 12 and 13, for the grip-chains, as shown in Figs, 13 and 14, which are made of sheet metal and formed into clips-,oneto be fastened-under the bolt on thejback of the wheel, and the other to be fastened under and around the wedge on the front of the wheel, the bolt passing through ahole in both of these clips, 12 and '13. This arrangement does away with the necessity of ing them over the blowout, and fastemngf them around the tire and rim of the wheel by the means of a strapv or piece of rope,

. and when the t1re inflated, the chains will hold the temporary repai securely. An extra grip chain should be carried for such purpose, as well as to replace a breakage, in which event, the broken section couldl'removed and the new section put on instantly and without any trouble, such as isnecessary with other makes of grip chains; either the whole chain has to be removed and the broken pieces pried off with a tool and a new piece put on in its place, which also requires a tool to 'do the work and consumes a great deal of time and the job is a diflicult one to do, or, if the broken chain is not r epaired, the loose ends flop around and strikei the fender and make a terribleJlqise with each revolution of the wheel, besidesea using disfigurement of the fender.

Having thus described my I claim and desire to seceic ent is: I

l. The combination with a wheel having a tire thereon, of a grip chain comprising a in ention, what by Letters Patsaid socketed members The combinatlon with a wheel having 4 ried by each of said plurality of flexible tread members extending across aropndthe periphery of the tire, a plurality of resilient members carried by said flexible members, fixed socketed members on said wheel, and members adapted to be connectcd at one end with said resilient members and at their other ends with to hold the. tread members in placef g.

ahtire thereon, said wheel being provided with plurality of sockets, of a grip chain for the tire comprising a plurality of flexible members extending across and bearing upon the periphery of the tire, a resilient nrember carried; by each of said flexible lifeiiibersgandjnembers carried by each pair of *said resilient members and adapted to engage the sockets 'imthe wyheel to flexible members in'positioric f .3. The combination with 'a., Vhel havin a tire thereon. said wheel being provide with a plurality of threaded sockets on each side thereof, of a grip chain for the tire comprising a plurality of flexible members "extending across and bearing upon the pe- :IiPhel') of the tire, a resilient member carflexible members, and a threaded member adapted to engage each.

hold the of saidsockets and supported by each pair of said resilient members to hold the flexible members in position upon the tire tread. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand this llth day of August, 1915.

. \VILLIAM J. BOYER.

sis 

